DALLAS (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association continues its tradition of NCAA Division I polls for the 20th year with its 2017 weekly surveys as the TCU Horned Frogs top this year·s preseason survey for the second time in NCBWA history.
Coach Jim Schlossnagles Horned Frogs also were No. 1 prior to the 2011 campaign and will be shooting for their fourth straight trip to the NCAA World Series.
Florida, which was first nationally before the 2012 season, holds down the No. 2 spot among the well represented Southeastern Conference.
Defending NCAA champion Coastal Carolina is No. 11 after winning its first NCAA team title and the first NCAA team championship in Southland Conference history. The Chanticleers, who had some heavy graduation losses after 2016, have moved to the Sun Belt Conference for all sports starting in 2017.
The 2017 poll voters come from among 40 college baseball writers and related media persons from regions throughout the nation. After a preseason Top 35 listing, the remainder of the polls will feature a national Top 30 during the regular season.
Previous No. 1 entries on the preseason NCBWA rankings have been LSU in the 1998, 2001 and 2009 polls, Southern California (1999), Miami (Fla.) (2000), Stanford (2002), Texas (2003, '06, '10), Rice (2004, '07), Cal State Fullerton (2005, '14), Arizona State (2008), North Carolina (2009), TCU (2011, '17), Florida (2012), Arkansas (2013), and Vanderbilt (2015).
The current survey has representation by 10 different conferences among the 300 baseball-playing schools in the 2017 NCAA Division I ranks. The rankings of 2016 had 16 different DI conferences rated at least one week. For more information or to join the NCBWA, please go to ncbwa.com.
Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of the sport. Members receive a membership card, directory, newsletter updates and official votes in the Dick Howser Trophy, Regional Players of the Year and NCBWA All-America voting. The NCBWA also sponsors Division I Players of the Week, the Stopper of the Year, and publication and writing contests.